Daily Scripture Reading Exodus 5:20 - 6:15

The Bible gives us guidance regarding how to resolve disputes and dissensions. The guidance is both a command to resolve disagreements and instruction on how to go about finding resolution.

Sometimes when we follow Biblical procedures, things get worse instead of getting better. Then we start to question whether obeying the Bible was the best course of action.

Moses had a similar problem. He obeyed God’s commands when trying to free the Israelites, but the suffering of the Israelites increased. Yahweh’s reassurance to Moses can also reassure us when we face setbacks while trying to be obedient.

Moses had demanded that Pharaoh allow the Israelites to go celebrate a feast in the wilderness. Pharaoh said no and increased the amount of work the Israelites had to do. When the Israelite foremen complained to Pharaoh about the increase in their workload, Pharaoh accused them of being lazy. The foremen realized they were in trouble.

Ex. 5:20 When they left Pharaoh’s presence, they confronted Moses and Aaron, standing there to meet them.

Ex. 5:21 And they said to them, “May Yahweh look upon you and judge, for you have made us a foul smell in Pharaoh’s sight and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

Ex. 5:22 ¶ Then Moses returned to Yahweh and said, “O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me?

Ex. 5:23 Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all.”

When Yahweh appeared to Moses in the burning bush, Yahweh said He had heard the cry of the Israelites due to their affliction and intended to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians (see Exodus 3:7-8). Yahweh commanded Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses did what Yahweh told him to do, but the plight of the Israelites was worse, so Moses asked why Yahweh had sent him.

Sometimes when we do what the Bible tells us to do, a problem we are trying to address gets worse not better. Perhaps we confront a person about anger or sin, and he gets more angry or increases his sin. Maybe he becomes violent against the people he formerly was merely angry with. When that happens, we begin to question whether obeying the Bible was the best choice.

Ex. 6:1 ¶ Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for by a strong hand he will let them go, and by a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”

Look at the phrase, “Now you shall see what I will do”. Yahweh was allowing things to get worse before they got better, so that Yahweh could increase the demonstration of His power.

Ex. 6:2 ¶ God spoke further to Moses and said to him, “I am Yahweh;

Ex. 6:3 and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, Yahweh, I was not known to them.

Take note of the word “appeared”. The patriarchs knew the name Yahweh (see Gen. 12:8), but when Yahweh “appeared” to the patriarchs, He did not identify Himself as Yahweh. Instead, He identified Himself as God Almighty (see Gen. 17:1, 26:24, 35:9-11, 48:3).

Ex. 6:4 And I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned.

Ex. 6:5 Furthermore I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel because the Egyptians are holding them in slavery, and I have remembered My covenant.

Ex. 6:6 Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am Yahweh, and I will bring you out from under the hard labors of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their slavery. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.

Even though the persecution of the Israelites had increased, Yahweh assured them He was going to deliver them from slavery.

Ex. 6:7 Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out from under the hard labors of the Egyptians.

Notice the phrase “you shall know that I am Yahweh”. Yahweh was allowing things to get temporarily worse so that His demonstration of His power would be more convincing. There was a benefit to the short term decline.

When we try to solve a problem according to Biblical guidance, if things get worse, we should consider the possibility that there is a long term benefit to the short term setback.

Ex. 6:8 And I will bring you to the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, and I will give it to you for a possession; I am Yahweh.’”

Ex. 6:9 So Moses spoke thus to the sons of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses on account of their weakness of spirit and hard slavery.

The Israelites wanted immediate deliverance, which was understandable. Many times we do the same thing. We want immediate answers to our prayers, and when we don’t get immediate relief, we assume relief will never come.

Ex. 6:10 ¶ Now Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

Ex. 6:11 “Come, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the sons of Israel go out of his land.”

Ex. 6:12 But Moses spoke before Yahweh, saying, “Behold, the sons of Israel have not listened to me; how then will Pharaoh listen to me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?”

Ponder Moses’ question. He wanted to know why Pharaoh would listen if the Israelites did not. That was a good question, but Yahweh did not answer the question. Sometimes we just need to trust Yahweh.

Ex. 6:13 Then Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron and gave them a command for the sons of Israel and for Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

Ex. 6:14 ¶ These are the heads of their fathers’ households.

The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn:

Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben.

Ex. 6:15 The sons of Simeon:

Jemuel and Jamin and Ohad and Jachin and Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the families of Simeon.

Sometimes when we do what the Bible tells us to do, a problem we are trying to address gets worse not better. Perhaps we confront a person about anger or sin, and he gets more angry or increases his sin. Maybe he becomes violent against the people he formerly was merely angry with. When that happens, we begin to question whether obeying the Bible was the best choice.

Yahweh allowed things to get temporarily worse for the Israelites, so that His demonstration of His power would be more convincing. There was a benefit to the short term decline. When we try to solve a problem according to Biblical guidance, if things get worse, we should consider the possibility that there is a long term benefit to the short term setback.

What is an occasion when you tried to resolve a problem according to Biblical principles and the problem got worse?

What was the benefit of the delayed resolution?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”